Women More Vulnerable to Alcohol's Long-term Effects Than Men

Women are more vulnerable to alcohol's longterm effects than men, according to the Harvard Heart Letter. The difference is in women's ability to break down alcohol, which is slower than men's.

The result is that a woman drinking the same amount as a man will have a higher blood level of alcohol, and for a longer time. Her tissues are exposed to more alcohol per drink than a man’s, and a Japanese study indicates that too much alcohol is bad for a woman’s heart and arteries, as well as being a danger to breast tissue.

Current thinking, according to the Harvard Heart Letter, suggests that "healthy drinkng" is no more than two drinks daily for men and one drink daily for women, a recommendation for the average person. The effects of alcohol intake will depend on your genes, diet and medications taken. Since alcohol prevents the absorption of folic acid, drinkers need to take extra folic acid, which can be accomplished by taking a daily multivitamin/multimineral supplement.